Kim Se-ui Arrest, Kim Soo-hyun Demonized

Kim Se-ui, the head of the Gaseo Gaseo Research Institute, was arrested on charges of spreading false information about actor Kim Soo-hyun. Kim protested that the arrest warrant was full of false information and applied for a review of the detention, but the court did not accept his claims and upheld the detention decision. It appears the court determined that Kim's alleged offenses were not minor and had been substantially substantiated. Kim expressed concern that his claims might be dismissed as false through detention, but the court did not accept this, suggesting that the content of his revelations itself became subject to legal judgment.

Kim had claimed that Kim Soo-hyun dated the late Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor, and that Kim Sae-ron died due to Kim Soo-hyun's debt collection efforts, as well as that Kim Soo-hyun had sexual relations with the minor Kim Sae-ron. However, after an investigation lasting about a year, the police concluded that Kim had fabricated voice recordings and messages using artificial intelligence (AI) and other methods. Accordingly, the police applied for an arrest warrant on charges including violation of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes, defamation, threats, and attempted coercion, which the court accepted.

While the truth of the case will ultimately be revealed through trial, based on the proceedings so far, it is possible to conclude that the criticism directed at Kim Soo-hyun went too far. This is because an atmosphere was created that unilaterally demonized Kim Soo-hyun without sufficient grounds being confirmed. Many media outlets and netizens strongly criticized Kim Soo-hyun while the controversy began and Kim's revelations continued. Although there were points raised about a lack of evidence at the time, Kim's side insisted they had proof. However, given the police investigation results and the court's decision to detain him, it appears that such evidence has not been confirmed, at least up to this point.

The possibility that Kim's side may present new evidence in the future to overturn the situation cannot be ruled out. However, regardless of that possibility, the fact that the public opinion formation process so far was hasty remains unchanged. This is because an atmosphere was created that judged Kim Soo-hyun without knowing the inside story, based solely on one side's claims.

Something was strange from the beginning. A prime example is that Kim Soo-hyun was fiercely attacked for denying his relationship with Kim Sae-ron. It is common for celebrities to deny dating rumors, and the dating rumor that arose when Kim Sae-ron released a photo with Kim Soo-hyun occurred three to four years after the two had already broken up. It is questionable whether denying a past romantic relationship should have warranted such severe criticism.